Ava and Chris left the mansion for Asstas.As usual, Chris sat silently in the driver’s seat, dressed in his black-and-white security uniform, but his heart wasn’t in his duty. He knew Ava had only agreed to her mother’s request—for him. And throughout their drive to the company, Ava remained quiet, her mood heavy and written all over her face.Chris could see it clearly.He held her hand on the gear shift, even as he drove. “Are you still upset about what happened, Ava?”Ava sniffled and tried to look away. “I’m okay, Chris. You don’t have to worry about anything…”“Are you sure, Ava?” Chris interjected quickly. “Because I can see it in your eyes. You’re mad at yourself just for saying yes to Mother’s demand. You didn’t want to help Bianca get that job, and it’s not like you didn’t have options. You only did it to keep her from throwing me out of the house, didn’t you?”Ava shook her head, hiding her emotions. “It’s okay, Chris. I’ve already accepted what she asked me to do. I only a

Bianca stood frozen, venom swirling hot in her veins as the murmurs faded into a background blur. Before she could lash out again, her mother stormed toward her, grabbing her wrist with urgency.“We need to leave here quietly, Bianca,” Bridget said in a hushed but sharp tone, her eyes darting around. “Look—everyone’s taking pictures already. Thank heavens I disguised my real features. We must get out of here before our faces are plastered all over social media. The little reputation we have left is at stake!”Bianca yanked her arm back in defiance. “I’m not going anywhere! Let them record! Let them see what Chris did—”Bridget’s patience snapped. Her grip tightened, and her voice lowered to a dangerous pitch. “Stop acting like a child! Do you want to become a meme by sunset? Look around you—every single person in that room had their phone out.”She scanned the surroundings again, paranoia creeping into her expression. “And Mr. Lockwood isn’t just anybody. He’s respected. Influential.